SA v PAK 2019: PCB not happy with ICC’s decision to suspend Sarfaraz Ahmed for 4 matches

PCB was not aware of what penalty the ICC would impose on Sarfraz.

Sarfraz Ahmed racially abuses Andile Phehlukwayo | Getty Images

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Sunday (January 27) revealed that the body wasn’t aware of International Cricket Council’s (ICC) sanction against Pakistani captain Sarfaraz Ahmed over his racist comments in South Africa.

The ICC suspended Sarfraz for four matches after the wicket-keeper batsman was caught by stump mic making some racist comments against South Africa all-rounder Andile Phehlukwayo during the second one-day international of the ongoing five-match ODI series in Durban on January 22.

However, Sarfaraz publically apologized for his controversial comments and even met Phehlukwayo personally to do the same, but ICC wasn’t satisfied with it, as the sport’s governing body wanted to give a life lesson to him to understand his responsibilities as captain.

A PCB official told PTI on Sunday, “We were not aware of what penalty the ICC would impose on him and when. There was some doubt if Sarfaraz would face a ban after he had apologized publicly and in person to the South Africa players including Andile Phehlukwayo.”

Meanwhile, a PCB source also revealed that the ICC had considered an eight-match ban for Sarfaraz but his quick apology and the report of the match referee Ranjan Madugalle handed him a four-match ban.

The official signed off saying, “He will be put through an education program immediately to make him realize where he went wrong. The good thing is he immediately apologized for his comments.”

On the other hand, PCB said in a statement, "The PCB notes the ICC decision on Sarfaraz Ahmed with its utmost disappointment. PCB had anticipated that the matter had been resolved amicably between the two players and the two Boards following Sarafraz Ahmed's public apologies, which were accepted by the player, the Board and South Africa cricket team.”

It continued, “The PCB will be pursuing this matter at the ICC forums with the objective to bring reforms to the Code, promoting amicable resolutions to issues as opposed to penalties. Having said that, the PCB reiterates its zero-tolerance approach towards racist comments and behavior.”

Noteworthy, Pakistan recalled wicketkeeper-batsman Muhammad Rizwan as a replacement for Sarfaraz, while veteran all-rounder Shoaib Malik will lead the Men in Green in the remaining matches of their South Africa tour -two ODIs and two T20Is.

(With Press Trust of India Inputs)

 
 

By Rashmi Nanda - 28 Jan, 2019

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